Bernell Larson

Bernell Mike Larson, age 86, Clark, formerly of rural Henry, died in the Prairie Lakes Hospital at Watertown, Wednesday morning, January 27, 2010. Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 1, 2010 at 11AM in the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with The Reverend Robin Schaunaman officiating. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery. Music will be provided by Dorothy Fuller as organist with Duane and Char Peterson singing. There will also be congregational singing. The casketbearers will be all of his grandchildren. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 4-7PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and after 9AM at the Church on Monday morning until service time. Bernell Larson was born on July 28, 1923 on a farm near Erwin, SD, one of 15 children of Ben and Olga (Bjerk) Larson. The family moved to a farm south of Clark in Merton Township when he was 6 months old. He attended school in Merton Township. After his schooling he went to work for a farmer in Orion, IL. He took an Army physical at Ft. Snelling and even though he passed the examination, he was sent home by the Army to help his Dad on the farm, so he returned to Clark County and Merton Township. It was in Merton Township that he met and later married, Muriel Smith. They were married on September 15, 1946 in a double ceremony with her brother, Allen and wife Roberta Smith. The couples were married in Watertown. Mike and Muriel began their farming life in Merton Township and then moved to a farm in Elrod Township. They ended up living in Eden Township, west of Henry, and farmed there until moving into Clark in October of 2009. While living in Eden Township they survived and rebuilt after the tornado destroyed most everything in 1984. Mike loved the land, he lived it daily, raising a crop of wheat every year he farmed. He was known for many years as the neighborhood vet, tending to many neighbors animals on the farm. He enjoyed working with his hands whether it be welding and fabricating something from metal or in later years working with wood, building everything from a small barn, to a bathroom vanity or wall curios. He thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of a new project, looking at a picture and then creating it. His memory will live on in those projects he created for so many. In the community he lived in he was active on Township Boards, the Garden City Elevator Board and a former member of the Odd Fellows Lodge. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark. Grateful for having shared his life is his wife of over 63 years, Muriel of Clark, children, Donald (Donna) Larson of Milbank, Laird (Kathy) Larson of Clark, Marlan Larson (Carla Wallace) of Sturgis, Sheri (Leonard) Alberts of Britton, SD and Lori (Tim) Page of Henry, 16 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. He also leaves 3 siblings, Doris Understock of Doland, Edna Mehlberg of DePere, WI and Darlene Doll (Richard) Jones of Groton, sisters-in-law, Inez Larson of Orion, IL, Norma (Jack) Bailey and Loretta Larson, all of Clark, Doris Larson of Orion, IL and Sylvia Larson of Watertown. Preceding him in death were his parents, siblings, Lawrence Larson, Olaf Ole Larson, Ragna Peterson, Milton Peanuts Larson, Bernice Larson, a twin brother, Bernard Pat Larson, Lester Bud (Joyce) Larson, Marvin "Son (Shirley) Larson, Orland Chink Larson, Bernhard and LaVonne Larson. Email condolences and an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family.